A JAPANESE WOODBLOCKPRINT OF A WOMAN OF MEDIUM RANK (中品の女) KITAGAWA UTAMARO (喜多川歌麿) A JAPANESE WOODBLOCKPRINT OF A WOMAN OF MEDIUM RANK (中品の女) KITAGAWA UTAMARO (喜多川歌麿)

A JAPANESE WOODBLOCKPRINT OF A WOMAN OF MEDIUM RANK (中品の女) KITAGAWA UTAMARO (喜多川歌麿)

Reference: ART2001840

A Woman of Medium Rank (中品の女)
Artist: Kitagawa Utamaro (喜多川歌麿)
Period: Late 18th to early 19th century

This elegant woodblock print by the renowned ukiyo-e artist Kitagawa Utamaro depicts a woman of medium social rank, captured with Utamaro's signature delicate and expressive line work. The woman's serene expression and the flowing lines of her hair exemplify Utamaro’s mastery in portraying the grace and beauty of women. The calligraphy on the right, "Yūkaku Jissetsu," translates to "The True Stories of the Pleasure Quarters," indicating the context of the series, which explores the lives and stories of women in different social standings within the pleasure districts of Edo-period Japan. Utamaro’s nuanced use of composition and minimalism emphasizes the refinement and subtle elegance of the subject. The artist's signature can be seen on the left, marking this piece as a classic example of his celebrated bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) style.